Coupling device with guide means



Jan. 19, 1954 H. F. DIUBLE COUPLING DEVICE WITH GUIDE MEANS Filed Aug. 22, 1950 mw. F E w@ f m J MO l a QU 4 f j. ww.. 7 l ,4 v i i c 1 ,4 IT/K f/ y *d y( d y a MM if L d, y if f if 32am i WA i ,Q x,v/OWM-Z www W. www1/f- 12 Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLING DEVICE WITH GUIDE MEANS Hamm'RDiume, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Application August 22, 1950, Serial No. 180,858

. 1 This invention relates to a coupling device'an'd in particular to improved means for guiding the coupling elements of a driven vehicle and ay trailer into engagement with each other.v

In a customary coupling'between two vehicles, as for example between a trailer and a tractor, a pair of interengageable coupling elements are provided, one mounted at the rear of the tractor" and one mountedv at the front of the trailer.

Upon backing the tractor toward the front end of the trailer, the two'coupling elements may be broughtinto engagement and interlocked with each other. Because of the difliculty of backing the tractor accurately to the desired position with respect to the trailer to permit engagement between the two coupling elements, it is usually necessary for the driver to tug and pullA the trailer manually into the flnalposition, or to employ a helper to guide the driver in his operation of the tractor.

An important object of the present inventionand thereby guide the two coupling elements into engagement with each other upon backing of the tractor toward the trailer. Preferably the guide means is provided at its outer end with guide portions extending outward beyond the coupling element carriedby the vehicle on which the guide means is mounted, as for. example a hopper having a large outer opening and llateral surfaces converging toward the last named coupling element.

In such a construction, turning of the tractor is hampered by engagement between said outer guide portions and at least one of the coupling elements when the tractor is turned sharply with respect to the trailer. This feature becomes critical where sharp or right angle turns are frequently necessary, as for example in towing farm equipment or machinery.

It is accordingly another object of the present invention to provide a guide means of the foregoing character which is firmly heldin a guiding rposition by a detent member before the two vehicles are coupled, but which is released to move with the coupled elements as required upon swinging thereof with respect to each other, as for example when one of the vehicles is turned sharply relative to the other.

.Another object is to provide such a guide means.

- 'z claims. (o1. 28o-47s) 2 which is readily mountable on a tractor or trailer and adaptable for use with existing coupling equipment, the guide means being releasably engageable with the usual detent member provided to hold the existing coupling elements in interlocking engagement with each other, the' guide means being held in said guiding position by said detent member prior to coupling said elements'together and being released .from said detent member to swing with the coupling elements when Athe latter are coupled together.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate correspending parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing an example of a coupling device embodying the -present invention.

being practiced or carried out in various Ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or` terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, a particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in a 'devicefor coupling a trailer and a tractor. Although the trailer and tractor may be readily interchanged, the trac-VV tor in the present instance is provided with a rear cross-sill lll having a horizontal towplate Il suitably secured thereto by bolts I2. Extending forward from the trailer, not shown, and preferably mounted thereon for swinging freely horizontally is a forwardly extending tow bar lli terminating in an upright pin l5 and supported at a desired elevation by a spring i6 connecting lghe bar kI4 and an upper portion of the trailer ody.

Suitably 'bolted on the rearward extension of the tow plate I I, as by paired lateral bolts ll and an intermediate bolt Ila., is a horizontal casting or yoke IS which terminates rearwardly in verti-V cally spa-cedupper and lower supporting plates l Y and 2i), Figs. 1 and 2. Interposed between the plates I9 and 2G are a pair of horizontally swinging coupling members 2| and 22 arranged side by side and pivotally mounted on pins 23 and 24 respectively which are supported above and below within the plates IS and 20 and extend vertically through the rearward portions thereof in laterally spaced relation. Rearward of the pivots 23, 24, the corresponding latching members are provided with confronting dogging portions 2Ia and 22acooperable to receive and hold the pin I therebetween when they are in the closed position, Fig. 1. The rearward edges of the corresponding coupling members diverge at 2lb and 22h tov afford cam edges for guiding the pin I5 forward into position between the clogging portions 2m, 22a.

The forward edges of the clogging portions 2id, 22a terminate in lapping inward extensions, of which the extension 22o of the coupling member 22 extends into a notch 2 Ic in advance of the forward edge of the clogging portion 2 Ia. In order to achieve horizontal swinging ofthe members 2| and 22 in unison, these membersv are dimensioned so that the rearward edges of the notch 2|c and intertting extension 22o ride along each other. Thus upon clockwise pivoting or closure movement of the member 2| about its pivot 23, as for example by reason of forward movement of the pin i5 against the forward edge of the clogging portion 2 Ia, the rearward edge of the notch 2|c will be forced against the rearward edge of the extension 22o, causing counterclockwise pivoting or closure movement of the member 22. ly the forward edges ofthe extension. 22e and notch 2Ic ride along each other, the latter continuing inward and forward in a rounded extension 2Id forward of the extension 22e. Thus upon counterclockwise pivoting or closure movement of the member 22, as for example by reason of forward movement of the pin I5 againstpthe forward edge of the dogging portion 22a., the forward edge of the extension 22o will be forced against the forward edge of the notch 2|c, causing clockwise pivoting or closure movement. ofA the member 2|.

It is apparent from Fig. l. that upon rearward movement of the pin I5 against the rearward edges of th-e clogging portions 2|a,` 22a, the latter will pivot away from each other to open positions unless otherwise locked against such pivotalv movement by a detent member 25 interposed between the confronting inner edges 2Ie and 22e which extend forward from the corresponding extensions 2|d and 22e in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides of the longitudinal mid-plane between the pivots 23, 24. WhenY looked against such movement as discussed below, the pin I5A will be conned between the dogging portions to complete the coupling for either towing or pushing; purposes.

The detent member employed in the present instance to hold the coupling membersV 2|, 22 inthe closed or latching position comprises a vertically,

swinging lever which extends downward through a central opening 2S in the plates I9 and 2|! and is mounted at its lower end on a` horizontal transverse pivot 21 for swinging upward and forward or downward and rearward. The pivot 2Iy is lo,- cated forward of the coupling members 2|, 22 and is supported at opposite ends by laterally spaced bosses 23` depending from the` casting I8. The opening 2G in the casting plates., |-9 andY 2|).l for the detent 25 extends longitudinally forward sufficiently to permit` the latter to swing forward:

Similarfrom its detent position between the edges Zie, 22e and thereby release those edges for swinging toward each other, whereupon the rearward dogging portions 2|a., 22a will separate or swing to open positions for release of the pin I5 therefrom. Normally the detent 25 is yieldingly held rearward in the detent position between the edges 2 Ie, 22e by a coil spring 29 maintained under compression between the forward edge of the opening 26 and detent 25. The latter is readily withdrawn forward from the detent position, as for example by a pull cord 3G under the control of the tractor operator. The structure described thus far may be conventional is desired and is accordingly not discussed in further detail.

Y In order to facilitate the engagement between the pin I5 and clogging portions 2id, 22a, a pair of swinging guide members 3| are provided, Fig. 3, one one each side of the coupling device and each being substantially a mirror image of the other. Each member 3| comprises a pair of vertically spaced upper and iower swinging arms 32 and 33, Fig. 2, which extend horizontally rearward from pivotal connections at their forward ends with the corresponding laterally spaced bolt I'I employed to secure the casting iii to the towplate I I. The lower arms 2.3 extend horizontally rearward from below the towplate l on opposite sides of the coupling device. The forward portion of each upper arm 3'2 extends rearward from above the casting It generally in parallelism with its corresponding lower arm 33. The rearward portion of each arm 32 is offset upward at 32d in order to clear the upper surface of the plate I9 and terminates in a rearwardly inclined bracket 32h.

The rearward portieri` of each guide member 3| comprises a hopper member Se formed from steel plates and cooperating with the hopper member 36, of the other member 3|, to complete arearwardly opening funnel-like guide for directing the pin I5 toward the converging edges 2lb, 22h. Welded to each' bracket 32h is a rearwardlyV inclined plate 34a ofr the hopper or funnel-like guide 34 which terminates inward at an edge 31thV parallel to the bracket` 32D and abutting the corresponding edge 3th of the adjacent hopper element along the longitudinal vertical mid-planel of the coupling device when the hopper members 34 are in the guiding position, Fig. 1. Laterally of the bracket 32h, each hopper member 3ft slopes obliquely forward and laterally as a plate portion 34C which terminates in a vertical wall 34d., The latter converges` forward toward the corresponding wall Md of the other hopper member 34 and terminates immediately rearward of the corresponding edge 2ib or 22h when thev paired hopper members Se are adjacent each other in the. guiding position, l. The lower edge 34e of the plate Sila terminates at a suitable height to provide clearance for the upper end of thepin l5, Fig. 2.

The swinging arms 32, 33 of each pair are maintained in vertically spaced relation by a pair of U-shaped brackets 35 and 35, each having a. vertical portion located laterally of the castingV I8 and spacing the arms 32, 33' and also having inward extensions welded above and below to the corresponding arm 32 or In addition, the rearward end of each arm 33y is welded to. the corresponding hopper wall The swinging guide members 3| are yieldingly held in a gui-ding position, with the confronting edges 34h abutting, by means of upper and lower transversesprings 3.7' and' 38, the former being or jaw adapted to receive' the detent 25 therein when the latter is pulled forward from the vde-V tent position between the edges Zie, 22e. rFhus the left arm 32a is provided with an inward-extension Y39 notched at 40 for the purpose aforesaid and the right arm'32a is similarly provided with an inward extension'SSa overlying the extension 39 and notched at 40a. Accordingly when the detent 25 is pulled forward into the detent engaging notches MI, 48a, the guide members 3l. are prevented from swingingl and are securely held in the guiding position.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the tractoroperator may readily complete the coupling with the trailer merely by pullingV the detent 25 forward from the detent' position betweenvthe edges Zie, 22e Yand holding the same between the notches 4S, 43a, as for example by pulling-on the cordll and securing it to a fixed member of the tractor. Thereafter the tractor is backed toward the forwardly extending towbar M soV as to position the pin l5 within the opening of the Vmouth of the hopper member 34.

Continued movement of the tractor toward the trailer will of course guide the pin I5 between the converging edges 2lb, 22h and thereafter into latching position between the dogging portions 2Ia, 22a. When the pin l5 strikes the forward edge of either clogging portion 2m or 22a, these will close around the pin l5 as indicated in Fig. 1 and discussed'above. Thereafter the cord 30 is released and the detent 25 is moved rearward by the spring 29 into detent position between the edges. 2|e, 22e, causing the pin l5 to be positively locked between the dogging members 2id, 22a. As thus engaged, movement of the trailer will be controlled by movement of the tractor and the latter may be turned as sharply as desired without interference from the guide members Si, since the latter are free to swing laterally as required if engaged by the towbar i4 upon lateral swinging thereof in either direction.

Iclaim: v

1. In a device for coupling two vehicles, coupling means adapted to be carried by one vehicle comprising a pair of pivotal members having dogging portions separable to receive a coupling element therebetween carried by the other vehicle and being movable together to lock the coupling element therebetween, said pivotal members also having detent engaging portions separable to receive a detent member therebetween upon movement of the dogging portions together, a pair of swinging guide members mountable on said one vehicle on opposite sides of the coupling means to swing horizontally with the coupled coupling means and element upon turning of the vehicles, said guide members at a guiding position having portions extending be yond the dogging portions and converging generally thereto to guide said coupling means and element into engagement with each other, detent means movable between said detent engaging portions to hold the clogging portions together and.l also movable to a position from between said detent engaging portions, and means carried'by said guide members to interlock with said detent means vinfthelast named position to hold said guide portions'in'said guiding position.

2. In a coupling device carried by a vehicle and movable into interlocking engagement with a coupling device carried by another vehicle upon relative movement of said vehicles generally toward each other, the combination of a pair of swinging guide means carried by one vehicle and mountedrto swing apart from each other upon relative turning of said Vehicles when the latter are coupled, spring meansyielding urging the two guide means toward each other into guiding position, said guide means being cooperable with each other at the guiding position to guide said coupling devices into said interlocking engagement upon said relative movement of said vehicles generally toward each other, and detent means carried by said one vehicle and shiftable to a detent position to hold said devices in interlocking engagement and being shiftable from the detent position to a holding position to hold said guide means at'the guiding position.

3. In a coupling device carried by a member and movable into articulated interlocking engagement with a second coupling device upon relative movement of said devices toward each other, detent means carried by said member and shiftable to a detent position to hold the interlocked devices in interlocking engagement, a pair of shiftable guide means carried by said member and movable by engagement with the interlocked devices when the latter are swung relative to each other, said pair of guide means being cooperable with each other at a guiding position to guide said coupling devices into said interlocking engagement upon said relative movement of said devices toward each other, said detent means being shiftable from said detent position to a holding position to hold said guide means at the guiding position.

4. In a coupling means carried by a member and movable into articulated interlocking en gagement with a second coupling meansupon relative movement of said coupling means toward each other, detent means carried by said member and shiftable between detent and holding positions, means for releasably holding the interlocked coupling means in interlocking engagement comprising detent engaging portions on said coupling means and engageable with said detent means at .said detent position, a pair of independently shiftable guide means carried by said member and movable by engagement with the interlocked coupling means when the latter are swung relative to each other, spring means yieldingly urging said guide means toward each other to a guiding position, said guide means being cooperable with each other at said guiding position to guide said coupling means into said interlocking engagement upon their said relative movement toward each other, and means for releasably holding the guide means at said guiding position comprising detent engaging portions on said guide means and engageable with said detent means at said holding position.

5. In combination, supporting means, coupling means on said supporting means and adapted to be moved relative to a second coupling means into interlocking engagement therewith, detent means on said supporting means and shiftable to a detent position to hold the interlocked coupling means in interlocking engagement, a, pair of swinging guides pivoted on said supporting means to swing with said interlocked coupling means by engagement therewith, said guides extending at a guiding position with respect to said supporting means to guide said couplingy means into said interlocking engagement upon relative movement of said coupling means toward each other, spring means yieldingly urging said guides to the guiding position, said detent means being shiftable from said detent position to a holding position to hold said guides at the guiding position.

6. In a device for coupling two Vehicles, coupling means adapted to be carried by one vehicle comprising shiftable means movable into articulated locking engagement withV a. second coupling means carried by the other vehicle, said shiftable means having detent engaging portions movable therewith to a detent engaging position upon movement of said shiftable means into said interlocking engagement with. said second coupling means, a pair of swinging guide membersA mountable on said one vehicle to swing with the coupled coupling means upon turning of the vehicles, said guide members at a guiding position having portions extending beyond the shiftable means and converging generally thereto to guide said coupling means into engagement `with each other, detent means movable into engagement with said -detent engaging portions to hold the coupled coupling means in said interlocking engagement and also movable to a position out of engagement with said detent engaging portions, and means carried by said guide members and engageable with said detent means in the last named position to hold said guide portionsinsaid guiding position.

7. In a device for coupling two vehicles, a pair of. coupling means mountable on said two vem hicles respectively and movable therewith into articulated interlocking engagement with each other, a pair of swinging guide members mountable on one of said vehicles to swing with the coupled coupling means upon turning of the vehicles, said guide members at a guiding position extending from said one vehicle beyond the latter vehiclcs coupling means and converging thereto from opposite sides to guide said coupling means intoy said interlocking engagement with each other, detent means on said one vehicle and shiftable between detent and holding positions, means carried by said coupling means and engageable with said detentmeans at the detent position to hold said coupling means in saidY interlocking engagement, and means carried by said guide members and engageable with said detent means at the holding position to hold said guide'members at saidv guiding position.

HAROLD F. DIUBLE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITIED` STATES PA'lTil\ITfv Number Name Date 844,522 Johnson Feb. i9, 1907 2,048,310 Wohldorf July 21, 1936 2,124,467 Lyman July 19, 1938 2,245,270 Goode June 10, 1941 2,491,373 Goff Dec. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 537,062 Germany Oct. 30, 1931 558,921'. Germany Sept. 13, 1932 

